Mortals meet the 7
by PJO6
Summary: When the 7 attempt to live their lives in the mortal world, many obstacles get in their way, some even threatening to blow their secrets.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ashlee

"Sunglasses?"

"Check!"

"Towels?"

"Check!"

"Wait, why do we need towels?" Kelli asked, throwing the towels onto the white leather sofa in my room. "We won't be swimming," she points out. I rolled my eyes.

"To tan! What are we going to the beach for if not to TAN?" Kelli huffed and began to fold our towels. I brushed my light blonde hair behind my shoulders. This needed to be PERFECT. My insta feed was looking bland, and that was NOT allowed if I wanted to have a summer fling, which I did. Wait, was that ever in question? To retain popularity throughout the school year, you needed stories, and I'm not talking about how you stayed at your grandparent's house for a week. All I'm saying is that, if you wanted to be successful at Goode High School, you needed to have what it takes, and by what it takes, I mean a exes. Tons of exes. Or a current boyfriend. Who would become an ex. Obviously.

"Ashlee, is my makeup on point? If I bring makeup, it might melt."Kelli questions frantically, staring intently into my light pink vanity.

"Well, duh!" I exclaimed, though I hadn't really thought of that. I swiftly unpacked my makeup from our tumblr pineapple beach bag.

"Does mine look totes adorable?" I inquire, anticipating the answer. No duh, it looked fabulous! Before Kelli came, I spent 2 hours on a natural makeup look, even though we said we'd do makeup together. So really, I had two layers of makeup on. Flawless was an understatement.

I glance at my reflection in the mirror. My complexion was olive, though that was with all of the foundation. My skin is usually a dull pale, but no one is complete without a full makeover, so we're not talking about who I was before I whipped the brushes out. My eyes were a dark blue green with a hint of grey. Without makeup, they were...lol. Still blue-green. Sorry, habits are hard to break. My face was completely gorgeous, and under all the makeup, I'm sure it was just as glamorous.

"Okay, Kelli, are you ready for some SQUAD GOALS?" I ask, putting some sass in my voice.

"When is the Squad coming, Ash?"

"I told you not to call me that!" I seethe. Who wants to be related to ashes? Not me.

"Sorry," she mumbles.

"Anyway," I said cheerfully. "I don't know if they're there or not. We're refreshing our Squad to make old Squad jealous, then get back together with old Squad, and stay in touch with new Squad. But old Squad will also be new Squad, so...yeah. Simple!" Kelli nodded, but she was obviously still trying to process everything I just said.

"Are we all packed?" she finally asks, probably giving up on decoding my words.

"Yep! Let's go!" I said excitedly, yet not eagerly, because that could be perceived as an ugly trait, but so was revealing your Squad plans to your henchman, but whatevs. This was going to be the best beach day EVER!

As soon as we got to the beach, I threw my towel onto the sand. What look was I going for? Perfectly messy? Just messy? Perfect? I straightened out my towel, shook the edges a bit, and called it a day. Kelli seemed to be going for the "Just Messy" look. Intentionally or not, it looked horrendous, like she just set out her towel for a fun day at the beach. It was so...natural! "Natural…" I muttered. I messed up my towel a bit. Natural. That was better than messy _or_ perfect. Kelli didn't seem to think about what she did, she just did them. That was probably why she was the second most popular girl going into high school. Me first, of course. Most people say they're intimidated about going to high school, but I wasn't afraid. I had all of this in the bag.

"Woah...hottie alert!" Kelli squealed, pointing at a hot lifeguard strutting in the sand. Not in a cocky way, though. More like a I'm-at-the-beach-and-I'm-ready-to-take-on-the-waves look.

"Dibs!" I blurted.

"Hey! Finders keepers!" Kelli complained.

"Grow up," I snap, and turn my attention to Hottie. Summer fling? That didn't mean anything. A summer fling was when you broke up after the summer. This _had_ to be forever. Hottie and I were soul mates. He had raven black hair styled in a perfectly messy way, like he just got out of bed, but he made it work...almost too well! He was tan and muscular, but not in a disgusting jock way. Maybe he was a swimmer, or just athletic. But he was TALL and dang, those abs! He. Was. Perfect. I couldn't tell the color of his eyes from this distance, but I'm sure they were dreamy. I bolted up to talk to my future-boyfriend, but he dove into the water. Crap. I waited to see when he would come up again, but he stayed under. Saving someone from drowning? Drowning himself? I had no clue. But something told me I'd see him again, if not at the beach, somewhere else. Somewhere special. I didn't know. But one thing I did know is that that boy would be mine, and I'd make sure of it.

 **Hey guys! Hope you like this! Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series or anything in it. I wish.**

 **Make sure to like, follow, and comment! See ya ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Simon

"Simon!" Bailey called down the hallway. I whipped around to face her.

"Hey," I said briskly, still making my way to class. PE was the only class I had with her, and that should have made it my favorite, but...c'mon! It's PE! It stands for Pointless Exercise . At least for me. I studied Bailey's features carefully. She had tan skin and straight black hair, with deep brown eyes. She was really beautiful. Honestly, though, I didn't like her that way. She was more like my best friend who happened to be stunning. It shocked me that people picked on her, though it made me a bit sad when I realized that that may only be because she hung out with me.

"There's supposed to be a new kid today," Bailey reported.

"Where'd you hear that?" I asked. We were seniors, and kids didn't usually just pop in at random parts of the year.

"Through the grapevine," she grins mischievously. I rolled my eyes. Bailey was gonna be Bailey.

When we got to PE, everyone crowded in front of someone. Probably the new kid. I stifled a chuckle. He was not ready for Goode PE class. He was going to be eaten alive. Bailey and I made our way over to the grouping. There was a kid in the middle, pressed up against the wall, incredibly uncomfortable with all of the attention. He seemed to be the type that laid under the radar, like Bailey and I. I instantly appreciated this dude. All the popular girls surrounded him. He was incredibly handsome. He had dark black hair swooped over to one side in a sort of messy way. He was tan and tall. He was muscular but not like a bodybuilder or anything. But his eyes were a stunning sea green. He was basically everything that I wanted to be...well, not just me, I guess. All the jocks circled him, either wanting to make friends or studying their competition. I didn't want to close in on him like everyone else, so I took a few steps back. I saw Ashlee standing with us. She was pale and crossing her arms. I must say, Ashlee was definitely not my favorite person. She was one of the prettiest, most popular girls at Goode. So she either ignored me or made fun of me. Despite our rocky history, I floated over to her.

"What's up?" I say.

"Are you flirting with me, Almanza?" she asks, irritated.

"What? No! I was wondering what's going on. Why you aren't over there with all of your friends?" I say quickly. Of course I wasn't flirting with her! She hated me! And frankly, the feeling was mutual.

"Why is it any of your business?" she snapped.

"It's not," I admitted. "But it seems like you...I don't know...know him?" She turned paler, if that was possible. I decided that I hit a sensitive spot. She turns away from me but mumbles, "At the beach."

That explained why she was so annoyed with me for talking to her. She wanted a chance with this guy. I nodded and slowly moved away and back to Bailey. Just in time. Mr. Walden stepped in.

"Okay, class. We have a new kid." He gestured to the boy glued to the wall. He shooed all of the other children away, and brought the kid to the front.

"This is Percy Jackson. He will be attending Goode with you." Percy was still sheepish at all of the attention, but he took a spot at the edge of the cluster of students, away from everyone else. I scooched a bit closer to him.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Hey," he says, looking up from his shoes to glance at me. He nods his head and smiles, but then returns to gazing intently at his feet. From this close, his eyes were even more bright and stunning.

"Are you new to Goode?" I asked, trying to start a conversation, but then realize how stupid I was. Of course he's new to Goode, you idiot! I scold. He nodded again.

"I'm, um, I'm Simon Almanza," I said quietly.

"I'm...Percy Jackson," he said, gesturing to where Mr. Walden was standing, as if to say I don't say the obvious.

"We will be practicing sword fighting today, one of our hardest subjects," Mr. Walden announces, throwing a couple sympathetic glances at Percy. A hush went over the group. Sword fighting?

"With plastic swords, of course," Mr. Walden reassured. "Sword fighting is a perfect balance of wit and strength. You need to anticipate your opponent's moves, and be quick on your feet."

I swallowed hard. This was going to be impossible! I glanced over at Percy, but he just looked at his shoes and chuckled. I knew how he felt. Sword fighting on your first day? Yeah, that's brutal. But he would survive, it's just plastic. Mr. Walden finished explaining the rules, and then asked for volunteers. Brody raised his hand. Ugh. He was the most annoying, yet the most popular, dude in the grade. He bullied me for 6 years straight. He was also as strong as a bull. I prayed for whoever had to go up against him. If there were no other volunteers, Mr. Walden would have to randomly choose from his attendance list. That list hated me. But surprisingly, there was another volunteer. He was standing right next to me.

"I'll go," Percy said, concealing a grin. Mr. Walden raised his eyebrow.

"Jackson? Are you sure?"

Percy nodded, and flashed a quick smile to me. He stepped up front and grabbed a plastic sword. He gripped it, and tossed it from hand to hand, reading it's feel.

"Good luck, Jackson," Brody sneered.

"I don't need luck," Percy grinned. Woah. He was bold.

They began fighting. Percy was light on his feet, and within seconds, he did a number of impressive moves that I couldn't begin to explain. Before Brody knew what hit him, Percy had both swords. Brody was pinned against the wall as Percy held a sword at his throat. Brody looked furious, yet terrified. The look in Percy's eyes was deadly. Even though I wasn't in Brody's position, I was freaked out. This dude...this dude was powerful. A force to be reckoned with.

Percy dropped both swords, bowed, and stood back by me. Everybody nervously applauded. That is, everyone except for Brody. Brody stormed up to Percy.

"You messed with the wrong guy," he hisses, poking Percy in the chest. He didn't even flinch. No need to worry, I flinched for him.

"Man, that was epic. But you need to be more careful with Brody. He has a troubled past. His dad wasn't there when he grew up." Percy snorts. I took a step back. No one laughs at Brody. No one laughs at not having a dad.

"Sorry. Nothing," he says quickly, and goes back to staring at his shoes. They really weren't that interesting. He wore black Nike shoes, tattered jeans and a hoodie over an orange shirt. He also wore a bead necklace with some sort of design on each of the beads.

"Whatever, dude. Just watch out for Brody," I warned, but Percy just muttered something in a language I didn't understand. What the heck? I was too far away to ask him what he had said. I wasn't completely sure I wanted to know. This kid was awesome...but there was something about him that scared me. I couldn't place my finger on it, but there was just...something.

After PE, I had Science, Calculus, and Spanish. This was the part of the day I enjoyed the most: English! Mr. Blofis was an amazing teacher. He blended humor and academics so perfectly. I strutted to my teacher's desk, like everyday, and prepared for our talk. Hello, Simon. He'd say. Hello, Mr. Blofis! What do you have in store for us today? I'd ask politely, and then he'd explain his lessons. I'd then prepare a brief yet effective speech on whatever we were learning that day. But that day was a bit different. Percy was sitting on Mr. Blofis' desk and adamantly chatting with him. Once Percy noticed I was in the room, he immediately shut up, and trekked to his seat in the back of the room. What was that all about? I thought, and as much as I hated to say it, I was jealous of how easy their relationship was. Percy had just met Mr. Blofis, and I had been working for his attention for so long. So unfair.

Soon enough, the rest of the class filed in, and I was in the dark about our lesson.

"Okay, class. Today we will be discussing The Sieve and the Sand, in Fahrenheit 451. It is important to pay keen attention to Montag's ever changing views on his personal dystopia. What are your observations, and what symbols allude to these changes?" I took notice of Percy frantically flipping through pages of his book. After much frustration, Percy dropped the book, clearly annoyed.

"The page is 67, Mr. Jackson," Mr. Blofis noted, concealing a smile. Percy's face turned bright red, but he picked up the novel without a second thought.

"Any volunteers?" My hand shot up…as usual. Although I never bragged or anything, I was the top of the class. Honestly, it was so simple. The firehouse is most clearly the change Mr. Blofis was hinting at. How could I be wrong?

"How about…Percy! You're new, so you haven't gotten used to my torture methods yet. It doesn't matter that you haven't read this yet, just start reading at the second paragraph."

Percy blushed even deeper, if possible. He glared angrily at Mr. Blofis, but Mr. Blofis had a complete poker face. I honestly thought he would have chosen me. He knows that I always have the answer, so I was a little miffed that he didn't pick on me. Oh well. This should be interesting.

"Okay, well, erhm," Percy started, scratching the back of his neck as a nervous habit.

"T-t they r-ead the re-st of the aft- after- afternoon? While it was cold? I'm sorry!" He breathed out. Clearly flustered, Percy's reading skills weren't as top notch as his sword fighting.

"Would anyone else like to take over?" Glancing at Percy, Mr. Blofis resumed. "You did better that time, it improved at the end of your sentence." Right after he said it, Mr. Blofis looked like he wanted to eat his words. Though he obviously wasn't as embarrassed as Percy. He hunched down in his chair as snickers traveled across the room. Mr. Blofis nodded, signaling the end of the discussion, though throughout class, he shot apologetic glances at Percy. Percy ignored them, and kept his eyes glued to the ground. Where was the Percy that whipped Brody's butt? I was determined to find out.

"Hey, dude," I said, catching him as he found his locker.

"Yeah?" he replied. He clutched his books like his life depended on it. His eyes seemed shattered, as if they'd seen things they shouldn't have.

"It's fine," I said, patting him on the shoulder.

"What?" he asked, utterly confused, but frankly, so was I. What else would he be so shattered about? Being embarrassed at school sucks.

"Um...nothing. Just in class-you know…" I trailed off.

"Oh! Yeah," he said, rubbing his arm, debating his next move. "It's fine. I, um, have dyslexia...so."

I blinked. Dyslexia. I had just completely rubbed that in.

"I'm so...sorry-I…" I began, completely appalled at how idiotic I could be.

"Don't sweat it," he said, quickly, and walked away. He left me standing in the hallway, open mouthed. Percy Jackson was going to be handy to have around here. After I figured out what's going on between him in Mr. Blofis, that is.

Hey guys! I know that Percy didn't come to Goode in senior year, but for the sake of the story, I had to write it that way. If you guys have any ideas for the story, make sure to comment!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bailey

Simon is...Simon. He'll always be Simon. Goofy, scientific, charismatic, Simon. But when he approached me saying that Percy Jackson was an alien, I nearly choked on my sandwich.

"What the heck? Simon!" I whisper-yelled, considering Percy was at the table next to us, by himself. He looked lonely, but I realized Simon and I did, too.

"What?" Simon, said defensively, leaning in closer. "Science proves that there is life on other planets."

"Bacteria," I rolled my eyes. "Percy is a perfectly normal guy. If there's something going on between him and Mr. Blofis, then that's their business." Simon ruffles his hands through his copper blonde hair.

"There's...there's something up. There has to be. Just look at him!" Simon said, eyes vigorously shifting between me and Percy.

Percy sat there, frustrated, writing in a notebook. He slammed his pen down to the ground, and took a bite out of his sandwich. Oddly, it was blue. Okay, that was weird, but Percy was a pretty normal guy.

"There's nothing wrong with him," I replied, continuing my noodles.

"There is! I swear," Simon protested. "C'mon." He tugged at my arm and dragged me to Percy's table of solitude.

"Hey, dude! What's up?" Simon greeted casually, though all the while he stared at Percy's notebook. Simon's face grew pale.

"Hey, man," Percy grinned, patting him on the back. When he noticed where Simon's eyes where, he quickly shut the notebook and threw it into his bag. His face was stone cold, but his smile returned so fast I doubted that it ever disappeared.

"So, what did you do over the summer?" I asked, shoving Simon and his open mouth behind me.

Percy shrugged, staring out into the East River longingly. "I was a lifeguard at Long Island Beach. And I went to summer camp," he said with a sad twinge. He looked down at his backpack, as if wishing we would leave.

"We better finish eating," I said quickly, and shove Simon back to our table. Percy looked a bit relieved, but I decided to crush that and sit right next to him. I honestly regret what I had done, but it is a crucial part to this story, so bear with me.

"Simon thinks you're an alien," I said boldly, trying to put on a brave face. On the inside I screamed at myself. Percy was never going to hang out with us again. We were freaks.

"Um...how am I supposed to respond to this?" he blushed with embarrassment and uncertainty.

"You're not," I said meekly. Where did I think this was going? What was Simon, Percy, or I going to get from this?

Percy nodded, and continued eating his sandwich, as if he was used to being thought of as an alien.

"What are you?" I asked. I didn't know where the words came from, but they flowed from my mouth.

"Excuse me?" he choked. His face was pale, like I'd hit a touchy subject. I internally screamed...again. _What the heck, Bailey! This dude barely knows you, and you're asking_ what _he is, not_ who _he is!_ I wished Simon were back over here. He was the only one to decode Bailey-speak, as we called it.

"I meant who are you? What is your story?" I asked leaning in. "Simon thinks you're different. But I know you're different. There's something about you…" I trailed off, restraining myself from saying what was on my mind. _That was forever ago. You have to forget it._

He looked at me funny, like he was debating what to reveal.

"I grew up without my Dad," He said, and then held back. I was sure there was more.

"And?" I said, pressing for information. He stared at me again, wondering why this stranger was so interested in his past. I realized that I may have come across as someone who wanted to flirt with him, but that wasn't the case. I just needed to know. _Forget about it._ I coaxed myself, but I couldn't seem to shake off that feeling that he was...different.

"I was expelled from 6 schools in six years," he offers.

"Nice," I reply, putting up my knuckle for a fist bump. He nods. His face was so familiar. I wished I could place my finger on where I had seen him before.

"You've been on TV before," I said, studying his face. "A wanted fugitive. Disappeared after a car crash, blew up a greyhound, dove off of the arch, seen with some wrestler dude. But then you were proclaimed a hero, and your mother lived with you happily ever after. I remember that. I remember locking my door, afraid." I look at him, and was 100% sure that he had something to do with me and those kids.

Percy's face was as white as printer paper. His shock proved me right, but I couldn't get over how terrified he looked. He suddenly whips his pen out. It grows into a long bronze sword, and he holds it to my throat.

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Dude! Dude, what the heck!" I managed between gasps of air.

"How did you know all that?" he growls. I suddenly wish that I went back to the table with Simon. I looked around, but everybody else was talking and laughing. That is, everybody except for Ashlee. She watched angrily at Percy and I. Why wasn't anyone doing anything to stop this former fugitive from killing me?!

"It was on TV!" I scream. "Everybody saw it!" He relaxed, and touched the cap of his pen to his sword. It shrank back into a ballpoint pen. It took me a moment to process what had happened.

Then I slapped him.

"Ow!" he yelped. "What was that for!" I stared at him in disbelief. Was he serious? He just whipped out a sword, a flippin' sword, and he was questioning me?

"You just tried to kill me, you dolt! With a goddamn sword! What the hell were you thinking!" I screech. Pardon my profanities, but he just tried to kill me, so I get a free pass.

He gulped.

"You saw that?"

"Of course, you idiot!"

"But...but-" he began, but I cut him off.

"Tell me. Right now. As a victim, I demand to know why the heck you carry a sword," I protest. He looks at me, as if to say, _you really want to know?_

"Just tell me!" I sigh.

"You're going to think I'm crazy."

"Don't worry. I thought you were crazy when you put a sword to my neck for no reason." He nodded in agreement, and muttered something about a girl named "Rachel".

"You know that fire that happened here at freshmen orientation?" I swallowed. I remembered. How could I forget? I was rushed out of the gym, smoke in my eyes and hair. That was very possibly the worst day of my life.

"Yes," I mumble in reply.

"That was me...sort of." I almost fall off of my seat.

"Weren't you charged for assaulting a cheerleader or something?" I asked. He blushes and nods. I could tell there was more to the story, but he wasn't willing to talk. If there was more to this story, I would have to figure it out myself. I snatched the pen from his hand.

"Hey!" he protested, but he didn't do anything to stop me. I needed to know. I sliced into my palm, wincing in anticipation, but there was nothing to build up to. I felt no pain. The blade passed through me, as if I weren't even there.

"This is fake," I told him earnestly. He nodded. Maybe that's why he was so comfortable letting me have it, or holding it against my neck. I capped the sword, and handed it back to him.

"I know you have more to say," I pry, looking into his sea green eyes. They were beautiful in a kind of sad way, like they'd seen awful things. They were shattered. Maybe that's what kept me from pestering more after he said, "We'll...we'll see."

His voice was shaky, his eyes were shattered, but he sat there, staring at the river. I couldn't help but thinking of the grey eyed girl I'd seen when I was seven, huddled in the corner, wounded and upset. She'd had the same look in her eye. And I was unable to help her as she was attacked. My parents wouldn't believe me. Monsters? I had been reading too much Sesame Street. But I knew what I saw. I couldn't shake the feeling that the two were somehow related. And somehow, I knew that nobody saw the sword against my neck. But it wasn't fake. It was perfectly real. All these ideas swirled in my mind, but none of the pieces clicked. I knew what I had to do.

"Hey, Simon!" I said. But right away I had a bad feeling that we were in too deep when we hadn't even begun.

 **Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted, I was at my friend's lake house. So I realized that it would've been awesome to have Percy come at the end of junior year, even though that's still not totally correct. But because of the war with Gaea he had missed most of junior year, so he'd have to play catch up. I realized that after I had written chapter 2, so I'm sorry guys : (. But I hope it's still good! If you guys have any ideas, make sure to PM me! See ya!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ashlee

I was chatting with Tori, Nikki, Lexi, Kelli, and Kayla. Seriously, we needed girl time. I was sick of boys. No. I was sick of Percy. He never noticed me, despite my attempts. His mind was occupied with God knows what. But it was never me.

"Girl, I got you," Nikki said, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Today's friday, right?" she said, looking back to Kelli. Out of everyone, she knows the most. She nodded, and Nikki continued.

"Let's go to the beach!"

"Totally!" Lexi said. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Lexi tagged along with our group, and agreed with literally ANYTHING that anyone said. I think it's obvious that she hasn't had an original thought in her life.

"That sounds great! Let's go to Pier 4 Beach. It's right around here," I suggested.

"Sure!" she exclaimed. I glared at her. Whatever. As long as we went to Pier 4 Beach. That was the only beach that I was down for.

"Tomorrow, meet us at the beach. Don't worry, I got it covered. You just bring yourself and a bathing suit!" Kayla said. She's the one who makes every moment picture worthy. Therefore, I loved her.

"Thanks, guys," I said, giving everyone an appreciative glance except for Lexi. "I really need this." What I didn't tell them is that they didn't need to bring their swimsuits. I wasn't going to...well, I was, but only for the artsy pictures I would post to make Percy want me.

...

When Saturday finally arrived, I had my ADORABLE pink Triangl suit on, my hair up in a perfectly messy bun (that's right, Kelli). My makeup was PERFECTION, might I add! My lashes had so much volume! It was perfect! My brows were on fleek, and I was feeling good.

I drove my Ford Mustang convertible to Pier 4 Beach, my camera ready. My squad was there already, of course. None of them seemed to grasp the concept of fashionably late. They were all reading the sign. Kelli turned to me.

"No swimming or wading. That sucks," she said disappointed.

"Yep, totally sucky," I replied, faking a frowny face. "Are we ready to take some pictures?"

Kayla nodded and showed her display of towels, bags, and seashells. So Insta-worthy.

"This looks awesome Kayla!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Lexi cheered. I resisted the urge to punch her in the nose. If she repeated me one more time, I was going to crop her face out of every picture, and not even tag her. See how she likes me then.

After we'd taken several hundred pictures, Kayla suggested to play truth or dare. I immediately refused. Last time we had played truth or dare, I ended up taking a no filter selfie and posting it. AND POSTING IT! Never again. Never again. But Nikki got me when she said that it would make really cute photos, so I reluctantly agreed. Lexi went first.

"Truth...no, wait, dare!" she decided, and Nikki nodded. So she had original thoughts, she just changed them based on what other people thought. That was SO uncool, it was steaming.

"Ooh! I have one!" Tori said.

"No, no. I got one," I said quickly. If someone was going to dare this girl, it would be me.

"Put handfuls of sand in the top _and_ bottom of your swimsuit. Keep it like that all day," I said smirking. She gulped, yet did it. I smiled. Seeing her uncomfortable was the only enjoyment I needed. Everybody went around, once, twice, three times. It was my turn again.

"Truth or Dare?" Kelli asked me.

"Truth," I chose confidently. I had plenty of secrets people had told me that I was willing to spill. What's the point of a secret if not to tell it and create a massive rumor? Oh, wait…

"Ashlee, you can't choose truth more than three times in a row," Lexi reasoned. I had never hated her more. She had made an enemy. Boy, did she choose the wrong person.

"Then why did you ask me?" I said, looking around the circle. Everyone shrugged.

"Whatever. Dare," I frowned. Wasn't this supposed to be _my_ beach day?

"Swim in the water!" Nikki flashed me a grin. My jaw dropped, and I had to force it back up. I laughed nervously.

"It says no swimming or wading," I pointed out.

"Puh! Are you- Ashlee Burke- afraid of breaking the rules?" Tori giggled.

"Wha-No! No way. Are you kidding me? I'm not afraid of breaking the rules!" I spat. What I didn't mention was what I _was_ afraid of.

"Then just do it, Ashlee! It'll make a TOTES adorable pic!" Kayla offered. They started to circle me, as if to say _if you aren't going to jump in, we'll push you_. I dipped my feet in. Icy cold water came up to my ankle, making me alert and awake. I heard that people used cold water to wake up in the morning, but I never assumed it _worked_.

"Ha, ha. There we go! All done!" I said quickly, trying to find a way out of the wall they were building around me.

"C'mon, Ashlee. A little water never hurt anyone," Nikki laughed. I bit my tongue thinking of how many people have drowned...and how toxic this water may be.

"Just do it!" Nikki persisted.

"Yeah," Lexi said.

"You know what, Lexi, I've had enough-" Before I could finish ranting, somebody's soft, undoubtedly moisturized hand pushed into my shoulder, throwing me into the waves. A swift current brought me out, as if someone was playing with the water. _Not again,_ I thought as the water pulled me under. I heard muffled screams from above. All I could see was the light slipping away from me. I pushed upward and caught a quick breath just before the momentum brought me back down, 2 times faster. My body slid underneath the water. My eyes stayed open, as much as it hurt to look through this salty, polluted water. My fear was so great I felt like I would explode. If I cried, it would just add to the freezing water. My legs were growing numb, not just from swimming but from the frigid water. My lungs were on fire. All I could do was sink. My body urged me to breathe, to try to reach the surface, but the current was too much for me. I was drowning. The last thing I saw before I blacked out were glowing green eyes, staring straight at me. As loud as I screamed, no one could hear me.

 _I'm at a beach somewhere in California with my father. We laugh, building ornate sandcastles with glistening shells. I love the beach. It's filled with salty sea air, and the lulling sound of waves crashing against the beach. My father decides that we should swim in the water, and there's no hesitation from me. It's scorching hot and the sand is beginning to burn my skin. I jump in, and the cold water laps against my shins refreshingly. I live for days like this. My father swims out, and I follow him. There's nowhere else to go, anyway. Just out. It is simple, and it feels like the waves oblige to my touch. My father swims farther out. My 8 year old arms are tired, but I need to reach my father. He is waiting for me. I continue to follow him, and he continues to swim. His arms rest beside him and his legs stop kicking, but he continues to swim. I continue to follow. Once I come close enough, I realize he is not swimming. He is being pulled out by the current. He is not breathing, and I am beginning to slip under the waves. My arms and legs feel like lead. They cannot hold me for much longer. I cry for help, but it is no use. I am too far away. I feel awful that I had just followed a corpse out into the ocean. I feel tears slipping down my cheeks. He was alive just seconds ago. I am sure of it. I remember his smile he flashed me just before he was pulled away, and my legs turn from lead to jelly. I try to focus on staying afloat, but I cannot remember anything that my father had taught me. I feel myself sinking, slowly, though the tip of my back stays somewhat afloat. I realize that I must look like I am swimming. An odd method, but swimming. I push upward, choking on salty water. The air tastes fresh in my lungs, and suddenly all I want to do is sink. I want to let go. But I know that if I let go, that will be the last time I see the light of day. I kick my jelly legs upward and scream. It takes so much effort and air, that I slip under the surface. Once I regain my strength, I kick and scream, flailing my arms in the air. I see the lifeguard jump off of her chair, and run toward me, but I feel like my fate is inevitable. I drift in the water until the current pulls me under. I see the lifeguard 5 yards away, though she feels like an eternity away. I let myself fall, to be claimed by the ocean floor. I realize what a mistake that is when my lungs start to burn. They feel like they are about the explode. I kick up for a breath, but I stay put. I try kicking and kicking._ I don't want to die, _I think. The last thing I remember is the lifeguard's grim face pulling me out of the water. I sputter and choke until air fills my lungs. It feels like my father's hot chocolate, warm and relaxing. I don't realize I'm still kicking until the lifeguard places her hands on my legs. I lay in her arms, sobbing, crying for my father. But he doesn't come back. I don't know if they leave him behind or not, but I can't forget his smile. He's gone, but I can't wrap my head around it. He's never coming back. I wonder if people would miss me if I had let myself sink, but I decide not to dwell on it. I just thank God that I'm alive. I vow to myself never to swim in deep water like that, and I keep my promise, until 9 years later._

I choked. I was back on Pier 4 Beach, my friends huddled behind the sign, probably calling 911. I tried to call out to them, but no sound came out. I took in a deep breath of fresh air. I didn't dare stand up knowing that I'd inevitably crash back to the ground. I coughed again, sputtering out salt water.

"Oh my god!" Kayla shrieked, running to me. "What the hell happened?" I tried to give her a look that said, _I can't talk, you idiot!_ But it may have come across as, _Fish chewed my toes while I was under._ She raced to grab towels as everyone else crowded around me. Lexi was crying, and I automatically knew it was her who pushed me in. The one original thought she had was the one that almost killed me. Ironic, huh?

"What the heck!?" I managed between gasps.

"I'm….I'm sorry! I-I….I didn't mean to!" she broke into sobs, and Nikki, Tori, and Kelli crowded around, comforting her. I gave a few dramatic coughs and groans. That got their attention.

"You almost killed me," I said. It felt good to beat on her, but something kept nagging at me. I didn't want to mention it, though, for fear of being as uncool as Lexi. Kayla threw some towels on me as I shivered.

"If you'd stayed under any longer, you would've had hypothermia," Kelli noted scientifically. I was really done with her. First she had comforted Lexi for almost killing me, and then she was sputtering facts as I was sputtering water. What a jerk!

Once I had somewhat dried off, I sat on the sand, still catching my breath. I couldn't believe that I just relived my worst nightmare...twice. I recapped the story to my squad, every few sentences stopping to take a breathing break.

"Before I blacked out, I saw something," I paused for dramatic effect. Everybody leaned in, holding their breath. Except for me, obviously. I was drinking in air like a starbucks frappe: every time I could.

"There were these bright blue-ish green eyes. Staring straight at me." Everyone gasped and started whispering.

"Ohmygod!"

"Seriously?"

"Wow!"

"Yeah!" (I figured that was Lexi).

"You NEED to tell everybody at school. They're going to think you're so brave...especially Percy!" Kayla encouraged. I nodded. It seemed like a good enough idea. Popular _and_ brave? Percy wouldn't be able to resist.

On monday, I raced through the halls, trying to find Percy. We had English together, so I knew I could catch him in the classroom, as long as I made it before class started. Mr. Blofis was very strict about talking during class. As soon as I made it to the classroom, I found Percy alone in the classroom with Mr. Blofis. There went my chances of making our chat coincidental. Whatevs. He was talking with Mr. Blofis with a grim expression, as if telling him rules. Mr. Blofis nodded, as if Percy knew what was best. Mr. Blofis never listened to anybody, who wasn't his boss, of course.

"Um, hi," I put in. Percy whipped his head around to face me. He scrambled off of Mr. Blofis' desk, almost tripping over his book, but then regained his posture.

"Hey," he said, nodding, and I almost fainted. How did I never notice this before? Percy's eyes were a bright, sea green, just like the eyes of the creature I'd seen in the water.

 **Hey guys! Wassup? I know I kinda made it seem like Ashlee was a daughter of Poseidon in the beginning, but I just wanted to clarify that all of the POV's are from mortals. And also, in BotL it says that Goode overlooks the East River, so I was not making that up, and there is also a place called Pier 4 Beach, but don't break the rules like Ashlee did ; ) I hope you liked it! See ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Simon

Okay, I know what Bailey said, and now you think I'm crazy. But it was an honest suspicion. There was just something about Percy, and I couldn't place my finger on it. Anyway, there I was, sitting in English, about a week later.

"Okay, class. Yesterday we left off reading book 4 of 'The Odyssey' translated by Robert Fitzgerald," Mr. Blofis said, encouraging everyone to flip to book 5. I did so reluctantly. I was a lover of all literature, but this book lacked grammar. Grammar was everything, when it came to literature, right?

The door creaked open, and I noticed a little scrawny dude poking his head in. Mr. Blofis made eye contact with him, and nodded. Someone stood up abruptly and swiftly left the room with the little impish guy. I realized later that that was Percy.

"May I please use the restroom?" I asked politely, raising my hand high. Mr. Blofis looked at me quizzically, but then nodded. It wasn't like he was going to say no. I walked out of the classroom. The bathroom was a wall of locker down. If they were right outside the door, I might be able to hear them.

"Hey, man!" Percy said, most likely clapping him on the back. The little guy must have responded but he said it too quietly for me to hear.

"Dude, are you sure Goode is a good idea? No pun intended," he added quickly.

"Leo, Paul has us covered," Percy replied. It took me a second to realize who "Paul" was. Mr. Blofis? Why would he refer to him as "Paul"?

"Are you sure we should trust him?" Leo said cautiously.

"C'mon. He's...my dad," Percy said, pausing uncomfortably before saying that...what the heck? Mr. Blofis was Percy's dad? Why wouldn't he tell me? Why did he call him Paul instead of Dad? My mind swirled with questions, but I forced myself to continue listening. Hey, I don't eavesdrop, but this was a special case, right?

"When is everybody else coming?" Leo asked.

"I'm not sure. Annabeth said it would be safer if everyone just dropped in subtly. Maybe everyone will just think that we've been here all year. It might decrease the chance of...you know….attacks," Percy said, quieting his voice to the point that I could barely hear him. Part of me wanted to yell, "Speak up!" but I was sure that wouldn't look very good on my part.

"If Annabeth said it, then it's probably a good plan. But that doesn't stop me from being nervous. Something's going to happen," Leo cautioned.

"Dude, chill. I told you. Every week, one or two of us will come."

"Just the seven?"

"Nope, the whole crew."

"Whatever. Let's get back to-" Leo made a gagging sound. "English class."

"C'mon, Paul makes it fun!" Percy insisted.

"School? Fun? Those words don't mix." Percy chuckled in agreement.

Their voices faded as they undoubtedly went back into the classroom. Who was Annabeth? Who were the seven, and the crew? All these words sounded foreign and strange. What attack? My mind raced as I headed back to class.

"'O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, let no man holding scepter as a king think to be mild, or kind, or virtuous; let him be cruel, and practice evil ways, for those Odysseus ruled cannot remember the fatherhood and mercy of his reign."'Marissa stumbled through the words.

"Very good," Mr. Blofis said. "Now does anyone want to summarize that?" The class was dead silent. Even I didn't dare raise my hand. Nothing about that sentence made sense!

"It's wrong," someone said quietly. I turned around to see Leo in the back of the classroom, looking down at his feet. What was it with new kids and shoes? I would never know.

"Umm…" Brody said, a smile growing on his repulsive face. "Nerd alert!" Leo blushed violently.

"It's wrong," he said again, this time with more force. I looked to Mr. Blofis. He was okay with all of this? But he just pressed his lips together, amused.

"Hey, newsflash smart-guy, no one cares. It's a book." Brody snorted. Mr. Blofis glared at Brody, but kept his mouth shut in regards to his behaviour.

"What's wrong?" he asked simply, and Leo raised his head. He had impish features, but in a sort of cute, let's-blow-something-up kind of way.

"Everything this book says about Calypso. She's not some hostile witch. She was cursed by the gods to be heartbroken for the rest of eternity. All she wanted was for someone to stay...right?" he added, throwing in a playful smile. The way he put it, I was started to see both sides of this story. Was Calypso all that bad? When Leo said that, it felt like he really knew her. And I couldn't help but notice the emphasis he put on "someone" as if that someone was already determined, even though Odysseus left. I couldn't help but admire this guy. It took guts to speak up like that. Guts that I have, of course, but guts.

"Very well said, Mr. Valdez," Mr. Blofis stated, intrigued. He seemed fascinated by Leo. I mean, he wasn't that fascinating of a person, but whatever. That look was familiar. That was the way he regarded Percy...er, his son, which was kind of odd. My parents weren't fascinated with me, just strict. The wanted more from me. It seemed hilarious that my father would look at me and be _impressed_. But it wasn't just fascination and awe; he seemed to be a bit scared of what their actions may be. Science. That's it. That was the way I regarded my experimental projects. They might explode, they might not, but either way they were utterly fascinating.

I hadn't realized that I had zoned out until Brody pushed me out of my chair. Lucky me. Everyone filed out of the classroom chaotically, leaving me on the floor, dazed. Though disoriented, I realized that Percy, Leo, and Mr. Blofis had stayed behind. I _also_ realized that they didn't notice me. They were caught up in a serious, obviously consuming conversation. Which meant that I could slip behind the book shelf, and no one would notice. Perhaps it wasn't right. Perhaps I would get caught. But none of that mattered. I _needed_ to know what was going on. I quickly slipped behind the bookshelf and held my breath. I wasn't used to being rebellious. I wanted to rub it in Brody's disgusting face, but maybe that would've spoiled the point of being secretive and sneaky. They began speaking, so I peeked my head out.

"Hello, sir," Leo said, shaking Mr. Blofis' hand, obviously uncomfortable with the whole manners thing.

"Just call me Paul. Well, in class call me Mr. Blofis. But for now Paul will do," Mr. Blofis said quickly. I wondered why would they want to keep their relation a secret?

"The Odyssey?" Percy said, wearing a look that said, _are you kidding me?_ Mr. Blofis just threw his hands up in the air.

"We had to read it at some point in the year. I figured it would be better if we do it before all of you come," Mr. Blofis reasoned. Leo muttered something about Calypso. Why did Mr. Blofis referred to them as if they were a different species? "All of you"? What was that supposed to mean.

"Have you heard word from Chiron?" Mr. Blofis asked urgently. _Chiron?_

"No. As far as we know, Camp is still under attack," Percy said scornfully. Mr. Blofis shot him a sympathetic glance.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I really am. But you can't go...not yet. They need you here. Think of Annabeth. You need to graduate to go to New Rome university." Percy sighed. Whoever Annabeth was, his future with her was definitely serious.

"Paul, my dad contacted me," Percy said, letting out a lot of anxiety with his words. Mr. Blofis raised his eyebrows, and Leo chewed his lip. His dad was sitting right in front of him! What was that all about? My mind flipped through all of the possibilities, but landed upon one reasonable one: divorce. That would explain why Percy looked absolutely nothing like Mr. Blofis, and why he called him Paul. My thoughts were much clearer once that was decided.

"What did he say?" Leo inquired.

"I saved a girl yesterday. She was drowning in the East River. Gods know why she was in there. Even I couldn't stay in there for very long. I just needed to check in with the water nymphs. They had said something about a boat sinking, but it was just litter," Percy said, saying the word "litter" like it was poisonous, which I supposed it could be. Why was he even in the water? Water nymphs? Who was the girl? Gods?

"She was sinking and flailing. I saved her, but she would've died if I'd gotten there any later. Her friends were still on the beach, so I had to wait to bring her back to shore. They went behind a sign, so I dropped her off."

"What's so bad about saving lives?" Leo interjected.

"She goes to this school. Ashlee Burke," he grimaced. A look of recognition and fear crossed Mr. Blofis' face. Ashlee? What was so intimidating about her? Apparently, Leo thought the same thing, and asked.

"She came into the room as Paul and I were talking. When I turned around she almost passed out. She recognized me. She must know something," Percy answered, his face pale. What could she possibly know?

"Does she know...who we are?" Leo worried.

"I don't think so. But we need to be more careful," Percy advised. Mr. Blofis' eyes widened, but he mellowed when Percy looked at him quizzically.

"Next week, Annabeth and Jason are coming," Percy put in.

"Jason? He's super powerful. Won't he attract them?" Leo asked. Percy rolled his eyes.

"No more than me." Whoever this Jason guy was, I wasn't getting the sense that he had the stablest relationship with Percy.

"Let's talk about this later. You two have classes," Mr. Blofis urged. They both shrugged and left the room. As soon as they left, Mr. Blofis went to his papers. Without looking up he said, "Simon." I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Yes?" I replied meekly. I know you may think it's a stupid decision to reveal that you're there, but he already knew, so whatever.

"That was unacceptable. Private conversations are private for reasons," He said, looking up at me with the most disappointed face I'd ever seen. I choked back tears. My favorite teacher hated me. That stung. But I sensed that he was worried I'd heard more than what was good for me.

"You want to know what we were talking about? Go ask Percy." At first that sounded like a fine idea, but I realized he was pulling my leg. I would never know what they were talking about if I wanted to earn Mr. Blofis' respect.

But I'd lost it.

Whatever happened next didn't matter. I now had one goal: who was Percy?

 **Hey guys! Sorry for the late (and short) post. I've been pretty busy lately. If you guys have any ideas for the story, make sure to PM me! Next person to follow this story gets a shout out! See ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Bailey

Okay, I've had my fair share of weird. I've seen monsters. I've seen kids with swords and spears _killing_ those monsters. But I must say, nothing was weirder than Ashlee Burke approaching Simon and I. Now _that_ was weird.

"Hey," she said casually, as if talking to her squad. I rolled my eyes.

"Um, Ashlee? Your squad is on the _stairs_ spreading awful rumors about people. We're just the dorks they're spreading rumors about," I confirm harshly, whipping my back to her.

"Jeez, am I not allowed to say 'hi' to you without an ulterior motive?" she says, mock offended.

"It seems unlikely considering you probably just looked up what 'ulterior' means," I snap. I don't know why, but everything about this girl ticked me off.

"Uh!" she scoffed. "That is so rude! You're making this impossible."

"Impossible to say 'hey'?" I cooed.

"No...yes...ergh! I don't know why I even try!" she exclaimed dramatically.

"You try?" I gasp.

"Yes...well, duh! Shut up, dork!" she demanded. I raise my eyebrows.

"You're disgusting," she scowls.

"It's kind of weird to talk to yourself," I admitted. I completely forgot that Simon was there until he clucked at that one. I was glad, though, that he had stayed out of our smack-talk. He was not the best when it came to sassy comments.

"Look, why are we still talking?" she spat.

"Because you walked over here and started a conversation," I said, throwing my hands up. She glares at me.

"Here, I get the sense if you were here to say hi, you would've left ages ago." She scowled, but didn't deny or object.

"Let's cut to the chase. You have ten seconds. Wow me," I said, imitating Mark Cuban. Ashlee rolled her eyes, and kept her lips pursed.

"Oh. My. God!" Simon gasped, and I was sure he just had a heart attack.

"What?" Ashlee responded urgently.

"Nevermind, you just ruined it," Simon said, disappointed. I tilted my head. Where was this going?

"It was monumental! It was beautiful! The first time Ashlee Burke shut up since kindergarten!" Simon exclaimed. I chortled, as Ashlee scrunched up her nose like she smelled something awful. I thought she was going to go on some tangent about how we were senseless dorks who had no lives ahead of them, but instead she just sighed.

"Stop it, that's not very nice," she said finally, not a bit of sass lost in her voice. I shrugged.

"When has kindness ever mattered to you?" I say, genuinely wondering. "Didn't seem to matter when you bullied us 'dorks' since the 1st grade. Or when you and your squad spread rumors about us on the stairwell. Or when you locked us in the janitor's closet after we helped you with your math homework, just because you were embarrassed. Or-"

"I get it," she huffed.

"No, honey, I could go on for days. Ooh! When you-" I began.

"Stop! Stop, stop. I get it. I've been a little rude over the years," she confessed, as if that were a major surprise.

"A little?" I interjected.

"Yes, a little! And you're lucky I don't shoot you little snot rockets to the moon!" she growled.

"Lucky us," I muttered. She rolled her eyes. As much as it may surprise you given how fantastic of a person Ashlee is, but being called a "snot rocket" was the nicest thing she'd ever said to me.

"Listen up, nerds. I need your help," she said, waving her hand as if to say, _Well? Come on, bow!_

"Listen up, nerd. We're not interested," I shot angrily, and spun to face my locker. I ignore her dagger glares, and continue my conversation with Simon.

"Yeah, I think the test was moved to Thursday. It's supposed to be harder, though, since we had more time to study," Simon said, grabbing his Science books.

"Are you sure? I thought it was Monday," I droned. I could feel Ashlee's eyes boring into me. Since she was still here, I was sure she had something important to say. And sadly, I kind of wanted to hear it. Anytime when the most popular girl in school seeks help from the dorkiest kids in school, you know it's got to be big. Unless, you know, the popular girl was friendly and popular because of her kindness. Heck, what kind of fantasy world do we live in?

Simon continued our conversation like it meant the world to him. Unless he had a sudden interest in PE exams, which I was pretty sure he didn't, he was stalling. I had a suspicion that he already knew what Ashlee was going to say, and he didn't like it.

"Ergh! I hate you!" Ashlee squealed. Then she paused, waiting for us to pity the poor girl with millionaire parents, and give in. I turn around and glared at her.

"You don't really expect us to help you, do you? After all of the awful things you've done? You're an awful person, Ashlee, and you'll never rise above that," I exploded. I knew I had hit a sore spot. She looked wounded and hurt, but I couldn't stop glowering. Simon approved of what I said with a quick nod, but even he realized my words were rash.

Tears formed in Ashlee's eyes, and I immediately felt awful. But I couldn't take back what I said. It was the truth...I think.

"Maybe you're right," Ashlee said quietly. I couldn't decide if she was going to rush into a fit and start a billion nasty rumors about us, or if she was just going to make me apologize out of guilt. But as much as I pitied her, I wasn't going to take back what I said. I was expressing pent up feelings. So what if they came out harsher than I had anticipated. Ashlee didn't have a filter. I was allowed to sink to her level for...oh, God. I'm a jerk, aren't I?

"Maybe I'll never be better than awful," she said quietly. "But that won't stop me from trying."

Wow.

A pity party? Maybe. A rumor? Probably. A courageous apology? Never in a million years. But of course that's what happened.

"Maybe you're an awful person," I begin, and she frowns. "Maybe _I'm_ an awful person. Or maybe I underestimated you."

She grins cheekily.

"I knew you'd help me!" she exclaimed.

"Whoa, not so fast. Who said we were helping you?" Simon interjected.

Crap. I forgot he didn't want to do this. Whatever Ashlee was going to say terrified him.

But I couldn't just be like, "Whoops! My mistake. Sorry, you're on your own!" That would be pretty cold hearted, and after what I just said? Well, let's just say I'd had enough of being a jerk for a day.

"Simon, I said that it was okay. Ashlee what do you need our help with?" I ask politely. Simon shook his head like this was going to end horribly.

"You've heard the story of my rescue in the East River, correct?" she questions, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Yep, I'd heard it. The way Ashlee said it it sounded like she was a humble hero, though that seemed unlikely. She probably was taking Instagram photos and decided it was a wonderful idea to dip into a toxic river. Yeah, that sounded like her.

"Of course I've heard," I said quickly trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. She had bragged about it for the past week.

"You know, how I was helplessly pushed into the water, struggling for air, when a creature appeared. It either saved me," she paused, as if that wasn't likely. "Or was dragging me down. If the creature weren't there, I would've gotten up, of course. But I finally pulled myself ashore. It was terribly frightening, yet I survived. It takes bravery to survive a moment like that twi-like that."

Okay, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Ashlee was about to say twice. Obviously something else serious had happened, but she obviously wasn't willing to share. And I wasn't sitting in a girly braid train to find out, along with some nasty gossip. I ignored it.

"I told you I'd heard," I repeated. She shrugged my comment off.

"Well anyway, there was the creature-" she began but was cut off by Simon.

"Please don't describe the creature," he pleaded. I stared at him. I had to admit; Simon was an oddball. He had accused Percy of being an alien. He had taken a DNA sample of Brody to see if he was part bull. _And_ he'd once eaten an orange (for some reason, that was the weirdest. Don't question my judgement, you had to be there.) But refusing his information was the oddest thing he'd done all year. And trust me, he'd done odd stuff. Don't believe me? Reread the last paragraph.

"Um…" I could tell Ashlee wasn't used to being told what she should and shouldn't do. She gave him an irritated look.

"Why not, glasses?" she snapped. I choked on my laughter. Ashlee was running out of insults, considering Simon has perfect vision. Simon was obviously as confused as I was, but he quickly snapped out of it.

"Well, Ashlee, my dear," he said properly, slipping fake glasses off of his nose and into his pocket. "I already know what he... _it_ looks like," he added quickly, coughing, pretending he never said "he". I supposed the only thing he had in common with Lexi was their inability to lie. Other than that, they looked absolutely nothing alike. Ashlee had stiff blonde, almost white, ringlets with about 92 more sprays of hairspray than needed. Simon's hair was copper blonde, and he always went for the a-badger-attacked-me look. At least, that's what it looked like.

Simon's skin was as pale as cold milk. I assumed that if he had met his clone without realizing it, he accuse his double of being a vampire. He's done it before. Without the double, of course, but the whole vampire claim. Anyway, Ashlee was just tan enough to compliment her hair and eyes.

Simon's eyes were sometimes green, sometimes hazel. But Ashlee's were a stunning grey, like storm clouds. The thick eyeliner she always wore made her eyes pop. She was strikingly beautiful, like the kind of girl who every guy wants to date. No guy with good taste, of course, but still.

"Sea green, right?" Simon said, as if he had accepted a ransom note. Ashlee almost passed out, but she nodded vigorously. I wasn't any less stunned. How did _Simon_ know that? Thankfully, Ashlee voiced my inner concerns, sparing me the embarrassment. Simon pursed his lips grimly.

"Percy. He has something to do with this. Think about it," he said solemnly, turning to me. "When we saw him at lunch that day, he was writing in his notebook."

"So?" Ashlee sassed. I had to restrain myself from punching her.

"It was in a different language," I finished, looking at my feet. How would Percy feel if he knew that we were trying to figure out who he was, as if he wasn't human? I didn't think he'd be pleased. I suddenly regretted telling Simon what Percy had told me. At least I didn't mention the sword, or that little blonde girl. Now _that_ would've been bad.

"Mr. Blofis is his step dad. And there's going to be some sort of an attack," Simon concluded. I swallowed. That a fake sword probably wouldn't be helpful in battle, but what if…?

"Okay. Just tell me what you learn," Ashlee said quickly, and retreated, probably to the staircase. No "thank you". Ugh. I hated that girl.

"Simon, maybe this isn't a good idea. Some things just aren't meant to be learned," I confess. Simon shakes his head like I just said I saw a unicorn in my backyard.

"We need to learn everything that we can. Secrets or no, curiosity is our right," Simon hummed. I had an awful feeling in my gut. Nothing good was going to come of this. But if Percy really did save Ashlee...then he was in trouble. If Simon found out, or Ashlee for that matter, his secret would be blown. As much as I wanted to know, I needed to spare him the embarrassment. What kind of kid carries a holographic sword, jumps into a polluted river, and talks about an attack? Yeah, it would probably be best if his secrets stayed confidential. Otherwise...no. This kid was normal. I was the one who was different. I was the one who saw monsters and afraid little girls with daggers. If anyone knew, I'd probably be labeled as insane. But Percy was just a teenager. Just a teenager. I wished I could live a life like that; no worries, just dying sandwiches blue...okay, that wasn't very normal. But Percy did other normal things. If only "normal" was in my vocabulary...

 **Hey peeps! I'm thinking of adding the POV of a mortal professor to mix things up. PM me on what you think, or if you have any new ideas! First person to PM me gets a shout out! See ya!**


	7. Chapter 7

Okay, I'm no actress, but that apology to Bailey? Wow. I knew I was talented but I never assumed I was _that_ good. I got some information, and a promise for more. I was in a good position.

I was almost absolutely sure Percy saved me...or tried to drown me. I didn't want to think about that. Percy was just being humble and not speaking up. God knows why he was in the river, but he was probably deciding the same thing of me, so I decided not to ponder on it for too long.

Percy was thinking about me. He _had_ to be. You wouldn't save someone if you didn't care about them. Puh. You think Austin cares about you, Lexi? Did he jump into the East River to save you because some jerk pushed you in? No? I thought so.

Now for the confrontation. I couldn't leave him hanging. And besides, I couldn't stay single for too much longer. That Almanza punk was getting on my nerves. Who did he think he was, talking to me? Ugh. He made me mad. But once Percy was mine, no more geeks would hit on me, and I wouldn't need a summer fling because I would be with my soulmate. It would be perfect.

I found Percy sitting with some jocks. Brody lightly punched him and chuckled.

"C'mon, dude. Tell us who you like," he said, and I realized he may not have been lightly punching, he may have been beating him up. His tone was dark and a bit sinister. I had never really seen beating up as a bad thing. It was just putting people in their places, and inflicting a little pain to keep it that way. _I_ never beat anyone up, I just used words. _A humane bully,_ Bailey had said in second grade. I scowled at her. Well, I looked up what humane meant, but then I stared daggers.

But Percy was no nerd. He was my boyfriend-to-be. But I couldn't stop them yet. He was about to say who he liked! That is, if he gave into peer pressure, but I had faith in Brody. He wouldn't fail me.

After a few minutes and a few bruises, Percy gave in. He looked around uncomfortably, as if someone invisible was there studying him. I realized he may be looking for spies like me, but I was an exception. I was _always_ an exception.

"She has blonde hair, and grey eyes. Pretty athletic, and definitely a warrior. She's the bravest girl I know," he said dreamily. Brody cackled.

"Sounds made up." But Percy just shook his head, got up, and left. He left me on the verge of tears. He thought of me as a warrior. The bravest girl he knew. I raced after him, but realized I had been crying. He couldn't see his warrior like this. I ran to the bathroom. Phew! I must have been pretty-crying because my cheeks were already dry and my eyes weren't even red. I ran out of the bathroom, and realized that Percy was gone. As disappointed as I was, I knew that I would see him tomorrow, or he'd see me, what with my stunning eyes and gorgeous hair. He loved me. And I loved him back. And somehow, that was everything.

The next day, I found Percy in the courtyard, talking with someone. The look on his face was grim, yet he laughed. I realized it was a girl. She was FLIRTING with him. That's why he was grim. He didn't know how to get out of the situation. I knew what to do. I flew into the scene, and sat right next to him.

"Hey," I said, looking up to meet his eyes. He looked confused and stunned, and looked to this girl, depending on her for an answer.

"Um, Percy, I see you've found a... _friend_ ," the girl said distastefully. He looked stunned at her, and then back at me, as if willing me to disappear.

"Um, this is Amelie. Amelie, this is Annabeth," he winced, as if expecting an explosion.

"It's Ashlee," I contributed, trying not to let Percy's forgetfulness get to me. "Nice to meet you."

She nodded, and glared at Percy. He put his hands out in front of him in defense. In defense of what?

I studied the girl. She was built like a runner, with blonde hair and grey...oh my God. It didn't seem possible, but maybe Percy _wasn't_ talking about me.

"Ashlee," he said carefully. "This is my girlfriend."

I could hear my own heart shatter.

Percy had a girlfriend? Not to mention, a hot one? Something inside me broke, but this girl just nodded and grinned at him. She seemed to read my discomfort.

"Maybe we should leave," she suggested. Percy nodded, and lead her away. As they walked away, I could hear her mutter, "You didn't tell anyone that you had a girlfriend?"

I wanted to hate her, but I couldn't she was gorgeous and kind and the kind of person Percy deserved. I immediately knew the reason I liked her so much; she was exactly like me. Modest, beautiful, and kind. Maybe I still had a chance with Percy, but I didn't want to force it. That would do no good.

The next day in English, Annabeth sat next to Percy. Mr. Blofis regarded them both carefully. What was that look on his face? Wonder? Happiness? Whatever. As Percy's step dad, he probably approved of the relationship. I didn't think it was possible to feel that miserable, but it only got worse.

"Okay, class. We have two new students today," Mr. Blofis said, grinning, gesturing for them to come up. Two? I had been so wrapped up in Percy and Annabeth, I hadn't noticed a blonde guy sitting next to an impish kid? Wasn't he new, too? Why didn't they introduce him? I didn't have time to care.

"Annabeth and Jason," Mr. Blofis said, grinning. Annabeth seemed uneasy with all of the attention, but Jason stood up front as if that was his house. If I didn't know better, I would've thought that they were siblings. They had the same blonde hair, and stormy eyes, though Jason's were bright blue. They reminded me of the picnics I would have with my dad, the grass tickling our feet, and the sky cloudless above. It was like the universe _wanted_ us to have the best day ever. That's what I felt looking at Jason. He was muscular, and had an aura of power and leadership. Maybe Percy was taken, but…

"Hey," Jason said, finding a seat next to that Leo guy. They fistbumped like old friends. And Annabeth sat right next to Percy. UGH.

"Okay, class. Today we will be talking about the different themes in The Odyssey. Can anyone…" Mr. Blofis droned on. I saw Annabeth mouth, _Seriously?_ Percy just shrugged like he'd said the same thing. What would they have against a boring, long, annoying book? Oh, wait.

As I was vacantly staring at Percy, something odd happened. A quick picture appeared in front of his face.

"Percy!" they girl in the misty image said urgently. He was as stunned as I was but he quickly recovered. He slashed his hand through the image, and it dissipated. Percy's face was red, but he raised his hand meekly.

"May I please take a phone call?" Mr. Blofis nodded. And he left the room...but Leo, Jason, and Annabeth followed. Okay, that was weird. I tried to relay what happened but I couldn't remember. It was like my brain was tugging at a memory that wasn't there. Percy had said he needed to take a phone call, so it was probably just his phone. Yeah, that must've been it.

As weird as it may sound, they never came back from the phone call. Maybe they ditched. I didn't see them in the hallway, or after that for the rest of the day. It was like they disappeared. When I asked Mr. Blofis what that phone call was all about, he just shrugged, like _What phone call?_ But he was an awful liar. He knew something, but I didn't want to pry. That wouldn't reflect my character. I'd just have to ask that Jason guy when he came back.

 _Hey, wassup? Why weren't you here yesterday?_ Er, no. That sounded too pushy.

 _Hey, you want to hang out?_ Perfect. Then he wouldn't consider it a date, but I could still ask him what that phone call was all about. That would work! And maybe Jason would even help heal my Percy problem. But of course, nothing ever goes as I plan.

 **Wow, that was really short, sorry guys. Anyway, I've been watching the Olympics NON-STOP and my main vocabulary for the past 3 days has been "Woo-hoo!" "Yeah!" "USA! USA!". So yeah, that pretty much sums up my life right now. PM me if you peeps have any ideas, or suggestions, or (constructive) criticism. Make sure to like and follow! See ya!**


	8. Chapter 8 Part 1

Chapter 8 Part 1

Simon

"Hey Percy," I said, casually.

"Hey," he replied, grabbing his books and grinning. I raised my eyebrows.

"What are you so excited about?" I say, nudging him in the arm.

"I have a date tonight," he said giddily. I was very pleased with myself when I didn't drop my books. That may have been perceived as rude. But I swallowed my surprise.

"Congrats, man. Who's the lucky girl?" He gives me a toothy grin, like he was trying to contain his excitement. To be honest, he reminded me of a 5 year old getting ice cream.

"Annabeth," he said happily. I frowned. The new girl? How were they dating? She just came yesterday. Yesterday was also the day when they disappeared together with all of the new kids. Orientation? I didn't think so.

"The new girl?" I inquire, holding back a whole lot of questions. He nodded happily. He was really in love with this girl. I wished he knew how short high school relationships were.

Just then, the guy named Jason walked past, and stopped at Percy. He was about 1 inch taller than Percy, and had bright blue eyes. He wore a purple t-shirt and jeans. He looked normal enough, but the fact that they all just simultaneously left class yesterday bugged me. Why couldn't I come?

"Hey, Percy. Who's your friend?" he asked. He radiated power, and I was slightly compelled to bow to him. Where did _that_ come from?

"Jason, this is Simon. Simon, this is Jason," Percy said tightly. I could sense there was some tension between the two of them, but they acted like best buds. Weird.

"Wassup?" Jason said, poker faced, but Percy choked. I was going to ask if he was okay, but I realized he and Jason were grinning. Wow, way to introduce yourself, an exclusive inside joke. Puh.

"Nothing much," I replied casually, looking to Percy to continue the conversation. I was never very good at small talk. I always wanted to ramble about things my mother said was "stupid" and "pointless" and "you'll never be as good as your older brother". Forget about that last one. The point is, I'm not good at small talk.

"So, I'm assuming you've joined the swim team?" Jason bet. Percy nodded.

"How about you?" Percy said innocently, but Jason cheeks turned pink. Yep, definitely tension. Jason regained his composure.

"Nah. When it comes to swimming, I just don't feel a… a spark."

"Really? I'm _shore_ you'd do a great job."

"I'd be _shocked_ if I did."

"I _sea_ what you did there."

"Well, when it comes to puns you got to go _above_ and beyond."

" _Water_ you saying?"

"The _sky's_ the limit with cheesy puns. You need _blue-sky_ thinking."

"Whale, then, you should join the swim team. It would be _fin._ Erhm, fun."

"Maybe if I said a pr- _air_ …"

"C'mon, Jason. Don't play _koi._ "

Just as Jason was about to reply, Annabeth stepped in. Her eyes shined a fierce warning.

"Boys, stop this. You're making him suffer," she said, gesturing to me. I just realized I was in the midst of a pun war. Air and water? Well, the two were about as different as they could get, so it made sense.

"Annabeth, don't be _crabby_ ," Percy chided. Annabeth rolled her eyes and turned to him, but with his puppy dog eyes, I was sure she would crack. How could she ever say no to this guy?

"It would be very... _wise_...of you to stop."

"Yeah, okay," Jason gave in.

Just then, Leo rushed in a wild look on his face, that quickly subsided to disappointment. But he managed a impish grin.

"Aw, man, it's over? Things were just _heating_ up!"

Everyone cracked up at that, and I forced a laugh. So many inside jokes. I felt a bit jealous, but also determined that I would be friends with these guys. They were cool. They whole thought of them being _aliens_ or whatever seemed ridiculous. They were just high-schoolers. There were just like me.

 **Hey, peeps! Lol, this is super short. But there will be a part 2 in which Simon will also narrate. But Chapter 9 will be narrated by the swim coach, so I wanted to stretch out this chapter. Okay, but seriously, I** ** _apollo-_** **gize for the cheesy pun war. Wait...no I don't. Thanks to Awolf24 for the reviews! Remember, if you have any ideas for future chapters, PM me! See ya!**


	9. Chapter 8 Part 2

Chapter 8 Part 2

Simon

That day, Bailey and I sat with Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Leo at lunch. Percy had packed blue pancakes in a thermos.

"Percy, don't tell me you filled your thermos with syrup," Annabeth pleaded.

"I did not fill my thermos with syrup," Percy said, practically beaming. Annabeth rolled her eyes like they did this everyday. I peered into Percy's thermos.

"Um, Percy, what is your definition of 'fill'?" I laughed. Percy shrugged.

"She asked me to tell her that I didn't. She didn't ask for the truth." Annabeth pursed her lips. I couldn't tell if she was going to punch him or laugh. She did neither. She leaned in for a long, and when I say long I mean LONG, kiss. Percy obliged. Talk about PDA.

Ten minutes later (at least if felt that way), Annabeth pushed away, taking in a deep breath. Percy cocked his head, still grinning from the uber awkward kiss session.

"Remind me never to kiss you when you have syrup on your lips," Annabeth muttered. Percy threw his hands up in defense but he was still smiling.

I looked to Leo and Jason to see who they were reacting to this, but they just continued eating their food like this happened everyday. I saw Leo eating tacos, and Jason seemingly hadn't taken anything out of his bag. Huh. That was odd. He was just staring out into the distance, completely zoned out. I looked to Bailey. She was nibbling on her father's homemade tamales, but overall glancing at Leo from time to time.

If I didn't know Bailey better, I would've assumed she had a crush. She usually reserved her feelings, and didn't let them get in the way. She only had time for one man in her life, and that was me...I think. I could be quite a handful at times.

Percy went from at ease to alarmed in a matter of milliseconds.

"Hey, guys. Maybe we better _go_ ," Percy suggested. Jason quickly snapped out of it and abruptly stood up.

"Can it wait? My tacos are going to get cold," Leo complained, but Jason glared.

"You can make new tacos. Now, come on." Why were they leaving? I packed up my bag, and began to follow them, but they kept up a good pace.

Annabeth whipped her head around to face me. She furrowed her brow, as if I was a dog and she was staying at a pet-free hotel. Her eyes were fierce, and part of me wanted to stop and hide, but I couldn't do that. These were my friends. They needed me.

We exited the building through the front, and ran around to the river.

"Where are you going?" Bailey yelled. Percy was yielding a pen, but Bailey stared at it cautiously. She was way up front with Percy, and I had to strain to hear her.

My legs felt like lead, and next to the water I shivered. Annabeth held a pencil in a way that would _not_ have made my first grade teacher proud. Jason had a long stick, and Leo had...nothing. Though his hand seemed to glow a little bit. No, that was just dappled sunlight.

"Bailey, Simon, you have to leave," Percy urged. That was enough for me, but Bailey stood her ground.

"We're not going anywhere. Where are you going?" She demanded, firmly placing her hands on Percy's shoulders. Percy winced as Annabeth's eyes turned stone cold. Percy pried her hands off of his shoulders.

"We have...business...to take care of. Yeah," Percy nodded. Okay, he was _not_ the best actor, that was for sure. I wondered if their business had anything to do with the attack. Were they spies? Bombers? I shuddered, and pushed aside the thought. No, they were just friends.

"You're going to take care of your business with that!?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands out to gesture at his pen. Annabeth's eyes grew as large as saucers.

"She can see through the mist?" Annabeth interrupted. I noticed there was a layer of fog over the river, so I nodded.

"I can, too. It doesn't take much effort." Really, were these people blind. Jason raised his eyebrow in doubt.

"What is this?" he asked, holding up his stick.

"Gee, I don't know. Birch? Oak? Pear? It's a stick," I summed up. They all sighed. Was that relief? Okay, so apparently they weren't talking about fog. But what were they talking about. Thankfully, Bailey voiced my concerns.

"The mist? Weapons? Just tell me what's going on! I deserve an explanation," Bailey badgered. Weapons? Unless sticks and writing utensils were weapons, then Bailey was off her rocker.

"Here, we'll explain it later. Just leave!" Percy insisted, and the seriousness in his voice made me want to bolt. Whatever they were dealing with, it was dangerous. Bailey reluctantly stormed off, leaving me to race after her.

"Bailey? What was that all about? Weapons? The mist?" I exploded. She threw her hands up in a hopeless gesture.

"I wish I knew. But don't you see that stuff?" she puzzled.

"I saw a pen, a pencil, and a stick."

"Really? A sword. A dagger. A gladius. Fire! You didn't see that?" she raged. I shrugged my shoulders, and tried to pretend that I was just talking to Bailey. Normal Bailey, that is.

"Whatever," she shot, shouldering her bag. She trudged away, leaving me speechless. Was she mad at me? What? What did I do? Ugh! Girls could be so confusing. That's why I befriended Bailey, because she was always straight with me, and friendly most of the time. But now...well, I had no clue. Something had really upset her. And whatever upset my best friend was my responsibility to take care of. So I guess in some way it was my fault. So I needed to help her. But if it meant hurting my new friends? Possibly ruining our friendship? Well, that was a choice I'd have to make.

 **Hey guys! Today is Percy Jackson's birthday, and...well, saying that I'm "excited" is an understatement. I made blue pancakes this morning, wore my CHB shirt ALL DAY, and of course had cheeseburgers and blue coke. Yeah, so that was my day. I hope you guys like the second part to chapter 8! As I said, the next chapter there will be a professor narrating. If you guys have any ideas, make sure to comment or PM me! Make sure to like and follow! And also, comment if you did anything for Percy's birthday, too ;)! See ya!**


	10. Explanation!

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry I haven't posted, I've been on vacation. I will be finishing up Chapter 9 soon, sorry for the wait! With school coming up, I just wanted to say that I'll be posting once or twice a week. Just wanted to let you know! See ya! :)**


	11. Chapter 9

Okay, when it comes to teaching, I was probably not the best role model. I've tried Science, but it resulted in me exploding all of the vials and test tubes. I've also tried English, but I couldn't pronounce "pneumonia". Or spell it. Or define it. But that's beside the point. When I taught PE, I could be as loud, crazy, and ungrammatical as I pleased. And anyway, I liked teaching, but it was WAY more fun if you could make the annoying kids run an extra twenty laps.

After that Jackson kid whipped Mr. Stefani's butt at sword fighting (which probably isn't a legal subject, but whatever), I was excited to hear the both of them were joining the swim team. They didn't seem to exactly _get along_ , but that didn't matter. It would just mean that they would fight, and I wasn't opposed to that.

But what I was opposed to was Almanza. That kid was a wimp. Totally not a worthy opponent. No good fights would be coming from him. In fact, I doubted he ever swam in his life. But of course the year he decided to try-out was the one year that we didn't have a ton of people for the team. Well, at least I'd get some fun out of his embarrassment.

Okay, by now, you're wondering why I'm so cold. And now you're expecting a sob story about how I was bullied as a child, and it was revenge that made me this way. But honestly, it was none of that. I just believed that there was only one winner, and whoever the losers were, they deserved whatever they got. I just wanted to see how things turned out. I never really got along with the jocks in high school, and when they picked fights I fought back. I was never the victim. So, put back your tissues, there will be no crying over a pathetic childhood. In fact, the only pathetic childhood here was Almanza.

The first day of practice was always the most interesting. You would see how everyone interacted with each other. I should've been watching for "teamwork", and "working together", but there would always have to be one star of the swim team.

Stefani and Jackson tried to enter the locker room at the same time. Percy stepped back, but Brody jabbed his elbow into his gut anyway. Percy barely flinched, but he scowled. Woo-hoo! Feud, here we come! Percy entered the locker room, and disappeared from my sight.

"Damn," I muttered, clapping my hands. I quickly shut up. I wasn't technically supposed to cuss, but all the high schoolers did it anyway, so whatever.

Brody stepped out of the locker room wearing a black speedo. He was beefy in a tough guy sort of way, which made me want to yell, _Put some pants on!_ But most kids wore speedos, so I swallowed my words.

Percy walked out in thigh length swim shorts and a bead necklace (manly, right?). I was about to tell him that he couldn't swim the necklace on. But then again, it might choke him. But then there would be _no_ feud, and a whole lot of paperwork.

"Jackson, no swimming with jewelry," I said loudly. Snickers passed like a wave over the boys, but Percy just frowned.

"I think I'll be fine," he said, tugging a a clay bead with a painted trident on it. I shook my head, and came closer. Paperwork and CPR didn't sound too fun.

"Mr. Jackson, please take off the necklace," I ordered, placing my hand flat out between us. He hesitated for a long while, but then slapped the beads in my hand. That's right, nobody messes with me! I threw the necklace on my desk without a second thought.

"Okay!" I shouted, and everybody quieted down. "25 laps! Go!"

They all found a lane, and dove in on my mark.

I sat back with Sports Illustrated, hardly ever looking up until I noticed 17 dripping boys staring at me expectantly. I slapped the magazine shut and studied each of them. Brody gave me a cold hard stare, all business, yet he was panting. I took it that he swam hard, but couldn't catch up with Percy. How did I know that? Well, Brody was looking ticked and tired and Percy was obviously bored. That angered me. If he wanted me to push him, I could.

"Okay, 200 yards of butterfly," I replied to their anxious stares. As Jackson turned, I caught a swift eye roll.

"Jackson!" I barked. He was getting on my nerves. "An eyeroll? I don't think so. 400 yards." He looked at me quizzically, then shrugged.

When I looked up from Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick, someone was already done. I expected it to be Brody looking all smug and tough, but it was Percy. My eyes bulged. Percy?! How did he finish 400 yards before anyone else finished half?

"Percy!" I growled. He observed me carefully, but then turned red.

"Sorry, sir," he said bashfully. I raised my eyebrows.

"Why? You're going to be the star of the swim team, kid!" I congratulated. He broke out into a...grin? I don't know how to describe it, but it was the exact opposite of Brody's reaction, that's for sure.

After swim team, everyone stepped out of the water, and headed toward the locker rooms, but I stopped Percy in his tracks, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You did good, kid. What's your secret?" I joke, but he turns as pale as cold milk. He chuckles nervously.

"Protein," he blurted. "Lots of it." I nodded slowly. Um, okay?

"Well, whatever it is, keep it up!" I encourage, and clap him on the back. I grin as he heads off to the locker room. That kid was special. Looking back on it, he was probably more special than I gave him credit for. Because as I clapped his back, my hand came away completely dry. It never occurred to me, but he was dry, too, just seconds after he came out of the pool. Was the kid a frickin' towel? I thought not.

After the school day ended, I sat at my desk, trying to concentrate on work. A quick observation: work is hard. It can be hard to concentrate on. Sometimes, I don't want to concentrate on it. Scratch that. I never want to focus on it. See? Who says I can't be a Science teacher? I observe like a pro!

Anyway, Percy came up to me, a frantic sort of look plastered on his face. He held a pen in his hand in a way that wouldn't have made his kindergarten teacher proud.

"Where's the necklace?" he booms. I furrow my brow. Necklace? What was he-?

"Oh, the bead thing? I don't know," I shrugged. The look on his face was deathly serious, so I decided that "I don't know" probably wasn't the best thing to say. He pursed his lips angrily.

"Where is it?" he repeated irritably. I sensed this was urgent, so I started to scour my desk. Where was it?

"Stop playing dumb and tell me where it is!" he raged, holding the pen up. I knew that he was getting impatient. Whatever this preschool art project was, it sure was important to him. But I didn't like the look on his face.

"I don't know! I swear I put it right here!" I confirmed frantically. I wasn't used to being the victim. It was weird, being pushed around by a high-schooler, but I shrugged it off. I didn't like the look he had in his eyes. They looked shattered and broken. But deadly. Very deadly. So I kept looking.

"Just tell me where it is," he pleaded, lowering his pen. I looked him in the eye and threw my hands up.

"I have no clue! Somebody must have plucked it off my desk going to the locker room!" I offered. Percy's eyes narrowed. He was probably thinking what I was thinking. Brody. But of course, as a respected educator, I wasn't allowed to pick favorites. So I picked least favorites, of course. All except for one. But I wasn't sure if I liked Percy yet or not. I mean, he was chill when he didn't look like he wanted to kill me.

He tore out of the room, obviously searching for Brody. I was sure that he had the necklace. Wow. High-school boys competing for the custody of jewelry. I had an awful feeling that swim team wouldn't be a breeze this year.

Outside of the front office, I found Percy and Brody. Percy had tucked his pen into his pocket, thank god. He might (shivers) write an essay to beat Brody, or something. I didn't reveal my location. Maybe then they'd keep fighting.

Percy had a strained look on his face, like he was trying with all of his might to restrain from slapping Brody across the face. Brody wasn't as hesitant.

"Just give it back," Percy begged. Where did they Percy who was going to kill me (by making me read an essay) go?

"Dude, you want to get your jewelry back? Go fetch!" he shouted, throwing the necklace into the street. Percy didn't hesitate. He ran into the street, grabbed the necklace, and sidestepped out of the middle lane just as a Lexus whizzed by. Brody stood there dumbstruck as Percy retreated back, bead necklace around his neck.

"You idiot," Brody cursed, and punched him in the gut. Percy recoiled, moaning.

"Brody, you are a wonderful human being," Percy mocked, though he makes it sound pretty convincing.

"You're not," Brody smirked. A twisted grin played across Percy's lips.

"You're right about half of that." Brody gave a confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"Figure it out," Percy muttered, walking away. Brody tried to catch up to him, reason undetermined, but water cascaded him as a drinking fountain erupted. He screamed like a baby. How the-? Why the-? Whatever just happened, it was no coincidence. _You're right about half of that._ The wonderful part or the...human part? I was starting to question Percy. He wasn't what I expected.

Hey guys! Oh my gods, I am SO sorry! I haven't posted in forever! I just moved to a new school (tear tear) and it's a little stressful. I also got a new laptop, which I'm trying to figure out. Basically, I haven't written in a long time, and I'm sorry. But I hope you liked this chapter! If you want more chapters from different perspectives than the normal ones, just comment the name of the character, and I'll get on it. Make sure to follow, favorite, and review! See ya!


	12. Chapter 1o

**Chapter 10**

 **Bailey**

For the first week after the "incident" (which is the only way that I will refer to it) I ignored Percy and his posse of secretive cooks. If they wouldn't explain what the hell was going on, then I wouldn't speak to them, either. But Simon decided that he and Percy were meant to be friends. Ugh. Stupid Simon. He followed him everywhere, even to the point where Simon joined the swim team. I know what you're thinking. Simon in a speedo? Yeah. That was my main concern, not the fact that Simon had never stepped into water without arm floaties. So I just left him alone, too. I had so much to think about that it didn't even faze me.

First off, the girl. Annabeth. All year I'd been trying to forget, and here she was, standing in my face. The little girl I'd seen, shaking and alone, went to my high school and was dating Percy. Her stunning grey eyes were terrifying, something I remembered from her as a little girl. I didn't even know how I knew that it was her, but I just couldn't seem to forget her face no matter how hard I tried. I used to believe that they were all perfectly normal high schoolers, unlike me. Until they whipped out their frickin' weapons and head off to do God knows what.

I'm sorry, I truly am. I'm usually not so shaken. But because Annabeth _knows_ all these people confirms it. There was _definitely_ something odd about them...all of them. Maybe even Leo, though it was impossible to imagine him as anything but my cute lab partner.

Okay, okay. I suppose I should spill on the Leo deal, though you've probably already figured it out. He kind of cute in a scrawny sort of way, and has a unique sense of humor. He's just an underdog, like me, and I found that kind of attractive. But to be honest, I didn't know how I felt. I'd never liked someone like that before. Ever. I was usually so independent and fearless. How could all that be trampled by something so small as a boy? A cute boy. A cute _and_ funny boy. Ergh! See what I mean?

Anyway, it was gym class, the one class I had with Simon, Percy, Leo, Annabeth, and Jason together. It was weird, though, because the four new kids seemed to have every class together, like the teachers decided that they were all one person.

Simon drifted over to me, longing for a conversation. He paused for a few moments, and then looked me in the eye. I looked off into the distance, though he kept staring at me.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"Hey," I replied blandly, my throat dry. I didn't think I was ignoring him on purpose, but the truth was that I was kind of angry. My best friend was deciding it was time for a change, so he was leaving me in the dust. But when he tried to talk to me? I ignored him. It wasn't exactly the best system, I observed. But I couldn't force myself to continue the conversation, which was odd because I was usually so straight-forward with my best friend. It didn't matter if the news was harsh or otherwise, it was said in his face indifferent.

"So...I joined the swim team," he offered, grinning. I nodded.

"I know." He looked at his shoes, contemplating what to say next. Thinking back on it, he should've thought about it longer.

"So, with what happened a week ago, with the weapons and the guys…" he began cautiously, but that was enough to flip a switch. I walked away to the other corner of the room and began to tie my shoes. I needed to escape that conversation, and any distraction seemed to be a better option.

I occasionally looked up from my shoe (which never seemed to tie, not to Simon's surprise) to see Simon glancing in my direction sympathetically. Puh. I didn't need his pity. I just needed him to stop talking about those four kids who brought nothing but trouble into my life. Harsh? Yeah, but also true.

I thought back to when I proposed the idea of finding out who they were to Simon. I almost smiled until I realized that this was all my fault, and I was being a wimp. Why couldn't I just face my problems like I had in the past? Maybe because I knew it would turn my world upside down. _Sideways or upside down? What's the difference? Just sort things out!_ My gut screamed.

I started to nervously conjure up a conversation with Annabeth. I didn't explain how I got there, because I didn't choose to: my legs suddenly had a mind of their own. But I knew that wherever Annabeth was, Percy couldn't be too far off, and wherever Percy was, Simon must be glued to his side.

"Hey," I said, smiling politely. She turned her full attention to me, which was both refreshing and terrifying.

"Hey. Bailey, right?" she asked. I nodded. "Nice to formally meet you." I smiled, shaking her hand cautiously. I crossed my fingers that my palms weren't sweaty, because that would be a major turn off.

"How are you liking Goode so far?" I asked, trying to mirror her casual posture. She nodded eagerly.

"It's really nice to finally be in school again," she confessed.

"Oh, were you homeschooled?" I inquired. As scary as she was, conversation flowed fairly easily, as if she had already forgotten the "incident". Her words weren't pleasantries, but pure, real words that came from her heart and mind. Not just common phrases that rolled off of her tongue.

"Something like that," she shrugged. All of me wanted to leave the conversation at that. We were getting along! Why wasn't that enough? But I needed to know.

"Annabeth, this might sound weird. In fact, it is most _definitely_ going to sound weird. But have you ever ran away from home? When you were little?" I questioned, not even giving a second thought about the oddity of my sentences.

Her expression darkened. I couldn't tell if she were about to kill me or let out a hearty chuckle. She did neither.

She hesitated. "When I was younger, yes, but my mother was there to guide me," she decided. I furrowed my brow.

"Who is your mother?" I asked, an awful knot tied in my gut. Her eyes bored through me, sizing me up. Forget about a breezy talk, this was hella creepy.

"That doesn't matter," she replied briskly, turning away from me, but I grabbed her shoulder. That got her attention.

The look on her face wasn't anger, exactly, but more of shock. I took it she wasn't used to being called to halt.

"Please. Please, Annabeth. I need answers. I _deserve_ an answer. My whole life I've been an outcast, seeing things that nobody else could see. My nightmares haunt me in the day. Help me," I rambled weakly. A look of pity flashed across her eyes, a quick something that said _I know where you're coming from_.

"I saw you. Fighting these creatures that only I saw. When you were little, and all alone. Until a few weeks ago, I was convinced that you were made up, an aspect of my imagination. But I know better. I know that something is going on, and whatever it is, I have to be a part of it," I supply breathlessly. I wasn't expecting this to turn out as a sob story, but tears were streaming down my face as she looked down at me pitifully (I was 5'0, get over it). Simon and I locked eyes. He seemed concerned. I never cried. But there I was, spilling my life story to a girl I had just met.

"Hey, it's okay. It's going to be okay," she assured, though I thought she may have been convincing herself more than me.

"What's going on?" I asked, wiping the relentless tears off of my cheeks. She looked at me solemnly. We didn't speak for a few moments, and the silence lagged on.

"We're going to have to talk to Percy," she finally decided.

 **OMG! I am SO SORRY! I have been writing and revising my book for the past two months, and haven't updated. I seriously hope you guys are still reading this despite that giant break. I'm just gonna rant for a bit about life because you guys are great, but if you want to skip over it, just go to the last paragraph.**

 **So, I've been writing this book about a kid who has the ability to change any aspect of reality, and d-hop (dimension hop) to different realities. So, like, a pretty complicated plot and such and it's been taking me forever to write, hence the fact that I haven't updated in forever: I'm so sorry :(... but anyway. I've been writing this convoluted thing and revising it, which take LITERALLY FOREVER! Not literally, but FIGURATIVELY FOREVER! And then my best friend proposed that we collaborate on a book, so of course I said yes because, well, more writing. So this one is about how equality is awful (not equal rights, but the manor of being exactly alike everyone else). So it's really deep and I've been writing a character for that. AND SCHOOL! I love education and I never take granted for how lucky I am, but I wish they would seriously lay off the homework. And also, today is election day. So if y'all are old enough, go vote. I'm not eighteen yet (puh) but if I was, I would be out in the voting booths right now. And the Cubs won! They won the world series! I grew up in Chicago, so I'm a Cubbie for life. But anyway, between them and this election I feel like the world is gonna end in November or something. Well, not really, but just be patient with me here.**

 **Okay, so yeah. That is what is going on in my life, if you read it. I seriously encourage you not to because it's pretty boring, but it still felt good to rant. So thank you guys so much for being patient with me. I hope you enjoyed that chapter! If you have any comments or suggestions, make sure to review! Make sure to like and follow this story, because I promise I will be way better about updating. See ya!**


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